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James Jude Courtney
| birth_place = Portland, Ohio, U.S. | height = | alma_mater = University of South Carolina | occupation = Stuntman, Actor, stunt performer | years_active = 1989-2002, 2018 | other_names = | residence = Columbia, South Carolina, U.S. | spouse = | children = | parents = | relatives = | website = }} James Jude Courtney (née Herbkersman; born January 31, 1957) is an American actor, stuntman and stunt performer. He is best known for playing Michael Myers in the 2018 film Halloween. He also played Der Kindestod in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode "Killed by Death". Life and career Courtney, born James Jude Herbkersman in Portland, Ohio, was raised in Columbia, South Carolina as the eldest of seven brothers. Ever since fourth grade, Courtney was determined on becoming an actor, making short films from fifth grade through college. He went on to major in journalism at the University of South Carolina in 1981 and subsequently moved to California to pursue his career as an actor. There, he started working at Universal Studios Hollywood as a tour guide before he was cast as Conan in the Conan the Barbarian live show. Courtney applied his martial arts skills to the highly physical role which demanded high falls and sword fights and resulted in multiple injuries during performances. At Universal Studios, Courtney met actor Brian Thompson and stunt coordinator Alex Daniels who led him to branch out as a stunt performer. He continued his acting studies at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and was coached by renowned acting teacher Stella Adler. He made his acting debut in the 1989 film The Freeway Maniac and continued acting through 2002. In 1997, he gained wider recognition with his role as Der Kindestod in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode "Killed by Death". At 6'3 Courtney played Michael Myers in David Gordon Green's horror film Halloween, a sequel to John Carpenter's 1978 film of the same name, in which original Myers actor Nick Castle reprises his role. Courtney was suggested to producer Malek Akkad and director David Gordon Green by stunt coordinator Rawn Hutchinson for his ability to do both physical stunts and genuine acting, auditioning afterwards and receiving a phone call in December 2017 affirming that he had landed the role. Green explained to him his vision for Myers' mannerisms, an amalgamation of Castle's original performance and the addition of an efficient cat-esque style of movement. Courtney tailored his portrayal to those specifications from observing an actual cat, "I think cats are the most perfect hunting machines on the planet. And the beauty of it is we don't judge a cat for what a cat does. So I sort of carried that movement and the non-judgmental approach to the way I moved as The Shape, which I learned from my cat Parcival." He referred to collaborating with Castle as an "honor", while Castle described it as a "passing of the torch". Courtney used John Carpenter and Castle's work on the original film to determine how the forty years that transpired between the events of the films would inform the character over time. The December 2017 announcement of Nick Castle's participation was widely reported as his retaking the role of Michael Myers he originated, with James Jude Courtney only doing additional work as the character. However, a 2018 interview with Courtney revealed that Castle's screentime was minimal and that the great majority of the work under the mask was done by Courtney himself, which led to the question of whether the return of original Myers portrayer Nick Castle had been misrepresented by the production. In January 2019, Courtney was nominated for Best Actor at the 2019 Fangoria Chainsaw Awards, alongside acting partner Nick Castle, for his work in the 2018 film Halloween. Filmography In popular culture Honoring his portrayal of Michael Myers, October 19, the film's United States opening day, was officially proclaimed James Jude Courtney Day in Warren County, Kentucky from Warren County Judge-Executive Mike Buchanon. References External links * * Category:1957 births Category:Living people Category:20th-century American actors Category:21st-century American actors Category:Actors from Ohio Category:American film actors Category:American stunt performers